Getting From Warsaw Airport To Warsaw City Centre

At less than 10 kilometres from the city centre, Warsaw Chopin Airport has excellent transport links into Warsaw. We break down what to expect and the different ways to travel.

Inside a Warsaw Airport train

For full details of facilities at Warsaw Chopin, see our dedicated Warsaw Airport page. If you’re arriving at Modlin Airport rather than Warsaw Chopin, see our page on How To Get To Warsaw. If you’re flying home, we cover the return journey on our Getting From Warsaw City Centre To Warsaw Airport page.

Deciding on the best route to the city centre depends on where you are staying. We recommend booking in advance, rather than leaving it until you arrive. Our Where To Stay In Warsaw guide has suggestions for each category and budget. With your room safely booked, you can plan the most appropriate transport into town before you arrive.

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Check-in date

Fri 10 May 2024

Check-out date

Sat 11 May 2024

Transport To Warsaw City Centre

Although Warsaw Chopin is open 24 hours, planes are generally scheduled between 5.30am and 11.30pm. It’s worth noting that trains only run until 11.23pm. So, if you arrive on a late plane, you may be looking at an alternative mode of transport. There are half-hourly buses through the night and you will always be able to get a taxi.

With this in mind, we recommend you pre-book a private transfer if your plane is due to land after 9.30pm.

Private transfer pickups and taxis are both an excellent means to reach your accommodation in the speediest and most efficient way – and both are reasonably priced.

Any public transport route you take will depend on where you’re staying, as bus or train stops may be the closest. We recommend using the Jakdojade journey planner to work out the best route. It is sometimes more reliable than Google Maps.

If you download the app, it will grab your current location and the destination field will autocomplete many hotels in the city. Then it will work out a timetable of options for you with times, connections, and walking instructions. You can also buy tickets directly within the app. The iPhone version has Apple Sign-In and Apple Pay, so I was able to set an account up in less than a minute!

• Jakdojade iOS App Store
• Jakdojade Google Play
• Jakdojade Huawei AppGallery

The only downside of the app is that you need to top up funds with a minimum amount of 30zł, so only use it to buy tickets if you plan on taking regular journeys. You can still use it to plan routes.

Private Transfer From Warsaw Airport

Without a doubt, a private airport transfer is the easiest way to get from Warsaw Chopin to your accommodation – the journey is literally door-to-door. You can book everything in advance and somebody will be waiting at Arrivals to take you directly to your accommodation, no matter what time of day.

A driver (left) waits for a private pickup in Arrivals

These can be booked through GetYourGuide at reasonable cost with no nasty surprises. It may even cost less than a taxi.

Be sure to book a transfer from Chopin rather than Modlin. Some transfer operators still refer to the airport as “Okecie”, which is the original name for Warsaw Chopin – but they are the same place!

You’ll receive instructions when you book, but any pre-arranged pickup service should be waiting for you in the Arrivals Hall. Simply pass through customs, pick up your luggage, and exit into the Arrivals Hall. They’ll hold up a board with your name on it, making you feel like a VIP. The drive to the city takes roughly 25 minutes.

Note: Warsaw Chopin Airport has two Arrivals zones, so make sure you have a clear agreement about where to meet. Some firms will use flight tracking and know if your flight is delayed, but have a contact number to hand in case something goes wrong.

You can exit Baggage Claim at either of the two exits and both are easily reached from one another. The ground floor of the airport can be covered in minutes, so it’s not a big deal if you find yourself at the wrong exit gate. Turn left at Arrivals 1 and follow the corridor to reach Arrivals 2. Conversely, turn right at Arrivals 2 and follow the corridor to reach Arrivals 1.

There is also a clearly-marked Meeting Point to the right of Arrival gate 2. Drivers will sometimes arrange to meet you there.

You can also get transfers direct from Warsaw Airport to other Polish cities, such as Kraków or Gdańsk.

Taxi From Warsaw Airport

Warsaw Airport has two Arrivals gates, both with a taxi rank directly opposite, literally minutes away. Once you’ve picked up your baggage and passed through Customs, you’ll find yourself in the landside of Arrivals.

Warsaw Chopin Airport transport navigation

From either gate, look directly ahead and you’ll see an exit door with orange signage for taxis and parking. Leave through here and you’ll find the cabs lined up against the curb, directly outside. To the right, you’ll also find Uber cabs, if you prefer to get one of those.

Taxi rank directly outside Warsaw Chopin Arrivals

There’s usually a long string of cars waiting to pick up passengers. The three licensed firms are iTaxi, MPT and Ele Taxi, who always use a meter. Their tariffs should clearly be on display and the fare for the 20-30-minute trip to the centre will be roughly 50-62zł from 06:00-22:00, depending on your destination, and 60-84zł at night. There is a board displaying prices at the rank. If you don’t see a meter, it’s smart to agree a fare before accepting the ride. Scammers do exist.

Drivers are likely to speak good English but have your destination written down, just in case. Cabs accept card payment, so there’s no need to withdraw or change money at the airport – but it’s always worth checking this first!

Warsaw Airport S3 train

Train From Warsaw Airport

The train is an excellent and stress-free way to travel into central Warsaw. It’s a fraction of the cost of a taxi and takes roughly the same amount of time. The trains themselves are modern and comfortable.

It doesn’t really make sense to describe all the train routes from Warsaw Chopin in detail, but a brief summary is useful:

• S2 route: This train travels as far as Rembertów to the east of the city. It stops at Śródmieście and Powiśle, both of which are key central stations. Śródmieście is good for connections to other parts of the city. This service runs once an hour, at roughly the half-hour point, from 06:32-21:32.
• S3 route: This train travels through the northern side of central Warsaw to Radzymin and is handy if you’re staying over the river in Praga. This service runs once an hour, at roughly 10 minutes past, from 06:10-23:08. Note: The route takes two different routes, so check it stops where you want before getting on board!
• Koleje Mazowieckie routes: These are largely services to other Polish cities, although some of them will stop at Centralna in the centre of Warsaw.

Timetables are subject to change, particularly on weekends and public holidays.

To decide whether to take the train or the bus, see which works best for you with the Jakdojade journey planner. You can also use it to buy your ticket, rather than faffing about with machines. Both use the same flat-rate ticket, which currently costs 4.40zł – less than a Euro!

If you use the app, it will automatically fill in your current location and the destination field autocompletes many hotels in the city. Then it will work out options for you to choose from, with times, connections, and walking instructions. You can also buy tickets directly with the app. Note, however, that you are required to top up with at least 30zł, which doesn’t really make sense if you only plan one or two trips.

• Jakdojade iOS App Store
• Jakdojade Google Play
• Jakdojade Huawei AppGallery

To find the train station, turn right as soon as you enter landside of the airport, regardless of which Arrivals gate you come through. You’ll see orange signs pointing to the train station.

Arrivals gate with coloured pathways to transport

Note, too, the floor is marked with a green line telling you how far you need to walk – 300m from Arrivals 2, only about 5 minute’s walk. Simply follow this line to the escalators and at the very end of the terminal and travel down.

Escalators to the airport train station

Once you’re on the lower level, continue to follow the signs to the platforms.

Follow the ramp to the station

If you don’t already have one, you can buy tickets from one of the red machines you pass on your way to the platform. They’re very easy to use! There should also be ticket machines on the train itself or you can buy one from an inspector. You’ll be able to pay with a debit / credit card or contactless methods like Apple Pay. You can also pay with cash if you’d prefer, but only from the station.

Warsaw public transport ticket machine

• The touchscreen offers a range of language options – click the appropriate flag
• Choose “BUY A PAPER TICKET”
• Choose “75 AND 90 MINUTE TRANSFER TICKETS”
• Again, choose “75 AND 90 MINUTE TRANSFER TICKETS” beneath (rather than “GROUP TICKET”)
• Pick “ZONE 1 VALID FOR 75 MINUTES”
• You’ll get a warning screen, so just read the note and click “CONTINUE”
• Choose “ADULT” or “CONCESSIONARY” as appropriate
• Decide how many tickets you need and click “OK”
• You can tap the contactless pad or insert the card and use your PIN
• Your ticket will be dispensed below

Warsaw 75-minute public transport ticket

Continue down the ramp. There is clear signage to the trains and a couple of places to get snacks. In a couple of minutes, you’ll arrive at the two platforms. The departures board tells you which train to board and when each is leaving. This station is the terminus, so there’s no risk of travelling in the wrong direction!

Soon you’ll arrive at the platforms

Your ticket is valid for any service but different routes have different destinations. Which you take obviously depends on where you’re trying to get to. Again, Jakdojade is your friend.

Once you have a ticket and are on the train, you need to validate it in one of the yellow machines on board. From this point, your ticket can be used on any journey for the next 75 minutes. You can change from the train to a bus, for example. There’s no need to validate a second time.

Warsaw public transport ticket validator

If you use the Jakdojade app, you validate your ticket by scanning a QR code that you’ll find inside the vehicle.

The ride itself is very comfortable and relaxing. You’ll rumble through a fairly long tunnel before emerging to a mixture of countryside and the industrial outskirts of Warsaw. After 20 minutes or so, you’ll be approaching the centre of the city.

Screens on the train give useful information about where you are in the journey and which is the next stop, and clear announcements also give contextual information, such as which stations are good for changing to onward destinations.

Once you arrive at your chosen stop, simply get off and leave the station. There are no barriers to worry about and all stations are fairly easy to navigate. If in doubt, get the S2 to Śródmieście, which brings you out right next to the Palace of Culture and Science. Warsaw Central is a few minute’s walk and the area is comprehensively networked with buses, trains, trams, and metro.

The 175 airport bus

Bus From Warsaw Airport

Often the bus will take you closer to where you need to go, and end up taking roughly the same amount of time as the train. Both use the same ticket, so there are no price advantages in using one or the other. Both are much cheaper than taking a taxi. Use the Jakdojade journey planner to work out whether the train or bus is best. The app is fairly self-explanatory but see the previous section above for more details.

As with the trains, it doesn’t really make sense to describe all the bus routes from Warsaw Chopin in detail, but a brief summary is useful.

• Bus 175 to pl. Piłsudskiego: Every 15-30 minutes daily, from 04:27-22:58. Passes through Żwirki I Wigury, al. Jerozolimskie, Krakowskie Przedmieście, pl. Piłsudskiego. The best bus for reaching the Old Town and possibly the most likely choice for most staying reasonably central.
• Bus 188 to Gocławek Wschodni: Every 10-20 minutes daily, from 04:47-23:18. Passes through Żwirki I Wigury, al. Armii Ludowej, al. Stanów Zjednoczonych, Szaserów, Praga Południe, Makowska, Metro Politechnika. Good bus to catch for Praga.
• Bus 148 to Wiatraczna: Every 15-20 minutes daily, from 04:34-22:35. Passes through Żwirki I Wigury, Nowoursynowska, Most Siekierkowski, Grochowska. Also good for Praga and Ursynów (a southern part of Warsaw).
• Bus 331 to Metro Wilanowska: Every 10-15 daily, from 06:13-17:54. Passes through Narkiewicza, Wirażowa, Poleczki, Łączyny, Puławska, al. Wilanowska. Connects to Wilanowska Metro station.
• Bus N32 to Centrum: Every 30 minutes nightly, from 23:15-04:49. Direct service to Centralna station. This is the only option at night.

Timetables are subject to change, particularly on weekends and public holidays.

The bus stop for Warsaw city centre is quite close to the taxi rank directly opposite Arrivals 1. You’ll see the orange sign above the exit for taxis, buses, and parking. There is also a coach station, close to the train terminal, but these are mainly for transport to other cities.

If you find yourself outside Arrivals 2, simply turn right and follow the purple strip along the floor, which leads directly to the exit for buses.

Go through the exit, to the covered street, where the taxi ranks are, and turn right. Walk past the queue of taxis and Ubers.

Finding the airport bus stop

You’ll see another orange sign straight ahead at the pedestrian crossing, pointing across the road.

Crossing the road to the bus stop

Cross to the middle and you’ll find the bus stop marked Lotnisko Chopina-Przyloty.

The bus stop is on the middle island

There are timetables for the different routes and a red ticket machine.

If you haven’t bought a ticket, you can do it here. It’s exactly the same ticket and walkthrough as described in the train section above. Or you can buy one on the bus, but only with a card.

There’s no need to get on at the front or to show the driver your ticket. Just get on via the closest door to you.

You can change buses or onto other form of transport, as long as you don’t exceed the 75 minutes on your ticket. Don’t forget to validate your ticket in the yellow punch machine as soon as you get on the bus! Push the ticket into the slot (face up, arrow pointing forward) and you’ll hear it stamp. If in doubt, copy what the other passengers do.

If you use the Jakdojade app, you validate your ticket by scanning the QR code onboard the bus.

The buses are modern and comfortable, although they are often full and you may find yourself standing. Useful screens summarise the route and give information about upcoming stops. You don’t normally have to ring the bell for the busiest stops, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure.

Warsaw Chopin Airport car hire

Hire Car From Warsaw Airport

There’s a number of car rental companies at Warsaw Airport, clustered in one corridor between Arrivals 1 and 2. Quickly check availability and compare prices to hire a car using the search box below.

Warsaw Airport To City Centre Map

This map shows the distance and route by road between Warsaw Chopin Airport and the city centre. Note that Warsaw is also served by an airport at Modlin, which is further away. Click any pin on the map for more details about each place. Click on the icon in the top left corner for an index of every location, sorted by category. You can zoom in and scroll around, just as you would on any Google Map.